11/18/2009 11:54:00 AM Stars to kick out Boulevard? Blazers ignored calls to meet with club
* Photo by Ras Mykkal. Damon Ming of Dandy Town shows superb form and concentration in last Sunday’s 1-1 draw with North Village. Dandy Town shares St. John’s Field with Boulevard Blazers, but they could be the sole tenants at the facility after today’s meeting.
Boulevard Community Club could be forced to look for an alternative home venue nearly midway through the 2009-10 season.
The Premier League side are currently in hot water with landlords Western Stars Sports Club. Western Stars took matters into their own hands last weekend by denying Boulevard use of the St. John's Road facility for the Blazers' league match with Somerset Trojans, which was switched to nearby BAA Field at the eleventh hour.
Western Stars hierarchy are presently upset with their tenants who ignored calls to meet with them to discuss the alleged assault of a player following last month's Premier match involving Blazers and Somerset Eagles at St. John's Field.
"This incident has to be discussed and has to be sorted out so it doesn't happen again," Western Stars vice-president Michael Weeks said.
The incident, which marred an otherwise entertaining match, saw an Eagles player set upon by a group of men after the final whistle had blown.
Western Stars officials hope to meet with their Boulevard counterparts today to settle the matter once and for all. However, should Blazers fail to turn up, their actions could lead to them being banished from St. John's Field for good.
"We are meeting with Boulevard tomorrow (today) and hopefully we can deal with the issues and get everything sorted out," added Weeks. "We have some unresolved issues that have to be sorted out and hopefully this can be achieved tomorrow."
Boulevard president Stephen Proctor and Bermuda Football Association president Richard Calderon could not be reached for comment yesterday.
Earlier this year Blazers were forced to look for a new home venue after BAA Field underwent artificial resurfacing.
A deal to play their home matches at Lords fell through at the last minute and further attempts to secure Wellington Oval also came to naught as St. George's officials changed their original position after youths openly clashed at Cup Match.
To the disapproval of some of its own members, Western Stars Sports Club eventually stepped in and agreed to have their Premier rivals share their grounds for the 2009-10 season.
Blazers' off-field distractions could not have come at a worst time as they are currently off to one of their best starts to a season in awhile.
The Pembroke club defeated arch rivals Devonshire Cougars to win the Charity Cup at the beginning of the campaign and currently lead the Premier standings by four points over nearest rivals PHC Zebras.
Meanwhile, last month's incident at St. John's Field isn't the only one involving Boulevard this season as a taxi carrying Blazers' Player Development League members from a match at Southampton Oval was attacked by a mob wielding an assortment of weapons.
Two Rangers players are alleged to have been involved in the attack and have since been summoned before the BFA 's disciplinary committee.
"The BFA has jurisdiction over the players, officials and clubs in membership and as such we are duty bound to hold them accountable for their actions in this and any other matter that brings the sport into disrepute," read a BFA statement.
"In this regard any persons found guilty of being involved in the incident will be dealt with according to the disciplinary policies and regulations of the association.
"We will also consider the deficiencies that exist within our club's organizational structure, including addressing whether we are doing enough, and what measures need to be taken to raise the standard of managerial oversight at all times - particularly before, during and after football matches."
